The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Wednesday authorized the SP Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government to call for a public hearing and to conduct an inquiryon the operation of the Bacolod Baywalk.

The issues stemmed from the resolution of Councilor Caesar Distrito that was taken up at the regular SP session.

Distrito, chairman of the Committee, said these issues include the illegal transfer of ownership of the property that is supposed to be owned by the city, as well as the road lots and the apron of the port.

Other issues include the operation of the Baywalk without the corresponding business permit, the non-issuance of an Environmental Clearance Certificate and the alleged illegal collection of toll fees from vehicles and individuals entering the establishment, he said.

Distrito said “We are only after the protection of the interest of the city and the people of Bacolod.”

It would be unfair that the supposedproperty that belongs to the city will now be in the hands of a private corporation, he said.

The operations of the establishment should be stopped in the absence of a business permit and ECC, Distrito said. The establishment is even collecting toll fees without any authority, he said.

“We are business friendly, but not in this instance when the city’s interest is at stake. They have to comply with the requirements of the law,” Distrito said.

Dennis Cortes, the legal counsel of Almana Property Development Corp. that operates Baywalk, had said they have all the necessary permits for the operation of the business.

He said they have also purchased the property from a registered private entity and that there are no indications in the title that the property belongs to another entity.

Cortes said the former head of the Permits and Licensing Division is willing to assist them in correcting what he considered “minor defects” regarding the address of the business.

Distrito said officials of city government offices, like the City Legal, Assessor’s, Building Official, City Environment and Natural Resources, City Engineer’s, and the Permits and Licensing Division will be invited in the hearing as resource persons, including the CENRO and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau.

Representatives from other parties will also be invited, like the Almana Property Development Corp., he said.*CGS

back to top